Apparatus for the production of metallic dust



1622,4134 March 29, 1927. R B. FINN.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF METALLIC DUST Filed June 12. 1926 7415'- 2 INVENTOR.

WEY

H I fLAQMM Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT B. FINN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN FINN METAL WORKS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF METALLIC DUST.

Application filed June 12, 1926. Serial No. 115,635.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the production of metallic dust and has particular reference to the production of zinc dust.

The principal object of this invention is to produce an apparatus wherein zinc dust will be, formed in a pure state, free from any oxides or other impurities.

Another object is to produce an apparatus which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture and onewhich will accomplish By the objects set forth.-

Other objects and advantages will be apparent. during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a' part of this specification, and" in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-section of a heating chamber with a retort positioned therein and a condensing chamber attached to the neck of the retort, my invention being positioned in the bottom of ,the condensing chamber, 7 A

Figure II is a fragmentary detail top plan view of my scraper in its initial scraping position,

Figure III is a fragmentary detail top plan .view of my scraper in its second position,

Figure IV is an enlarged fragmentary detail viewshowing the scraper in said eleva tion and in scraping position.

, In the ,productionof zinc dust, the metal to be vaporized is placed within a retort, the retort being positioned within a heatmg chamber and in such a position that the neck of the retort projects to a point outside of the heating chamber. I then position a coni densing chamber adjacent the heating chambar in such a manner that the neck of the retort extends into the condensing chamber and in order to prevent the admixture of air with the products emanating from the neck of the retort, I lute any openings which may exist between the retort and the condensing chamber. The lower portion of thecondensing chamber'consists-of a pan into which the so products of the condensing chamber are adapted todrop. p

It is within this pan that I position my invention which consists primarily of means for collecting the oxides which form in the condenser during the first period of operation, which oxides must be collected and protected in such a manner that they will not contaminate the products to be later formed within the condensing chamber.

The construction of the heatingchamber retort and the condensing chamber is old in the art and will only be briefly referred to. now examining the drawings! it will be noted that the numeral 5 designates a furnace having a heatin v chamber 6, within which ac-retort 7 is positioned; the firebox is indicated in dotted lines at 8.

The neck- 9 of the retort extends to a point outside of the wall 5 of the furnace and is adapted to project through the wall side of the condenser and serves to support the luting 13 which forms a seal between the neck of the retort and the wall of the condenser. At 14 I have shown a pan which is provided -with an annular channel 16 into which the upper portion of the condensing chamber rests.

This connection between the pan and the upper portion of the chamber is also luted as indicated at 17. Within the pan 14 I position a scraping element which consists of a scraper 18 and a cover 19. The cover 19 has attached to eachend thereof an outwardly projecting skid 21 and to the edges thereof are attached rollers 22 and 23 which are adapted to contactthe sides of the pan.

At 24 I have shown an asbestos strip which is attached to, the cover and adapted to contact the sidesof the an so as to act as a seal between the sides of tli pan and the cover. The cover also has attached thereto anangle iron member 26 to which a cable 27 is, secured.

The cable has a fitting 28 secured-thereto into which is'threaded a pull rod 29 having a and 'The operation 01 my device is as follows ber gradually -rises,- heating the retort 7. The material within the retort will in due time commence to distill over into the condensing chamber 11.

When the apparatus is first assembledthe scraping element isplaced'in-the pan in the position shown in full lines in Figure I, and it is of course obvious that as air is confined in the condensing chamber the .resultwill be that the first products coming from. the retorts will contact this air in-the condensing chamber resulting in a formation of oxide, and for the matter of discussion, we will call this same zinc oxide, assuming that zinc i contained in the retort.

It is now a simple matter to bbserve the temperature of the retort .which temperature will indicate to the observer exactly when the distilling process necessary commences, and from experience the operator knows just how long it'takes for the air in the condenser to-become exhausted, which, of course, eliminates further production of the oxide.

Assoon as this point has been reached thev operator grasps the handle 31 of. the pull rod 29 and withdraws the same the resultthat thewithdrawal action pulling upon the cable 27 causes the scraping element to be drawn thereover from the position shown in full lines inFigure-I to the dotted 1 line positioni: This drawing over is'indicated by the dot and dash line of this figure.

Further withdrawal causes the scraper 18 to' move-across the bottom of the pan 14 and to scrape any oxide which may rest thereon into a pile beneath the cover 19. v space the scraping element ma 'be' drawn over in its initial movement, whi e the rollers 22 and 23 contacting the sides of 'the pan preventing the scraping element from becoming. jammed. At the same time, the asbestos strips at the sides of the cover contacting the sides of the pan revent any of the oxides escaping or any 0 thezinc" dust entering the chamber formed beneath the cover when the same is in contact with the end of the pan as indicated at A in FigureI.

After the rod has been withdrawn from the pan-the same is unscrewed from the fittin 28 and the opening through which ,the, ro was withdrawn is luted so, as to prevent} further introduction of'air tied the chamber.v

It will thus be seen that by the mere manipulation of'a rod it is possible to effectively gather and protect the oxides initially formed in the condenser pan from mixing with the zinc dust to be later formed.

It is to be understood that the form of .my invention herewith'shown and described.

is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape,' size and arrangement of parts maybe re;

sortedtowithout departing from the. spirit with The skids 21 limit the amount of.

described my invention, I

vertical move sai scraping element over the bottom of said pan, for the purpose specified.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a condensing pan, a scraping element positioned within said-pan, said scraping element being angular in shape, skids secured to said scraping element, said scraping element initially lying 'ina horizontal position, means for raising .said scraping element to a vertical position,

said means servin to move said scraping element over 'sai pan, for the purpose specified. i I

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a condensing pan, a scraping element comprising an angularly shaped member, a portion of said member serving as a cover, a portion of said scraping element serving as a 'scra er, skids formed on said scraping element, t e scraping portion of said element initially resting in a horizontal position, a cable secured to said element, a bar secured to said cable and adapted'to be withdrawn from said pan for the purpose of raising said scraping element to a vertical position and so as to cause said cover to'assume a horizontal position, for i .the purpose specified.

4. In an apparatus, of the character described the combination with a condensing pan, a scraping element comprising an angularly shaped member, a portion of said member-serving as a cover, a portion of said scraping element serving as a scraper, skids 'formed on said scraping element, the scraping portion of said element initially resting in a horizontal position, a cable secured to said element, a bar secured to said cable and adapted to be withdrawn from said pan for the purpose of raising said scraping element to a vertical position and so as to cause said cover to assume a horizontal position, and rollers secured to said cover and adapted to contact the sides of said pan.

5'. In an apparatus of the character described the combination with a condensing pan, a scraping element comprising an angularly shaped member, a portlon of said member serv n. as a cover, a portlon of sald scraping cement serving as a scraper, skids termedonsaid- 'scrapingjelement, the scraping'p'ortionjoi,said elernent init ally. resting in 'a"horizontal pos1tion,-' cable secured to said element, a bar secured to said cable and mable fabric strips secured to the edges of adapted to be withdrawn from said pan for said cover portion and contacting the sides the purpose of raising said scraping element of said pan, for the purpose s ified. 10 to a vertical position and so as to cause said In testimony whereof I a my signa- 5 cover to assume a horizontal position, rollers ture.

secured to said cover and adapted to con- 4 tact the sides of said pan, and non-inflam- ROBERT B. FINN. 

